The city is planning to replace two playgrounds in Owen Sound next year and to build a new one.
The 2021 draft capital budget presented to city council on Friday includes spending on playground replacements at Harrison Park Campground and Duncan McLellan Park, and the construction of a new YMCA Playground outside the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre.
The combined budget for all three projects is $186,000, but only $63,000 would be funded by city reserves or taxation as grants and donations are being utilized to finance the bulk of the projected expenses.
According to a city staff report, the playground structure at Harrison Park Campground is deteriorating and new equipment will refresh the space and meet current CSA code requirements.
Coun. Scott Greig questioned why the city is pursuing another playground renovation at Harrison Park, as the extensive Kiwanis Island Playground was upgraded not long ago and just this past summer the new “Tot Lot” was completed.
“$91,000 is a lot of money for three, really grand playgrounds to be so centralized,” Greig says.
Director of Community Services Pam Coulter told councillors the city has applied for a $73,000 Enabling Accessibility Fund grant for this project and only $18,000 of city capital would be allocated to it. If the city is not successful in receiving grant approval, the Harrison Park Campground playground replacement would be deferred.
If approved, it’s expected work on the new playground would commence in September 2021.
The Duncan McLellan Park playground replacement project is budgeted at $45,000. This also includes the repair and/or replacement of a fence that protects the play area from 19th Street East, as the current one is in poor condition.
This project is expected to get underway in June 2021.
The third and final playground in the city’s 2021 capital spending plan is a new build outside the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre.
It’s being fully funded by a $50,000 donation from the YMCA.
A city staff report explains the Victoria Park Master Plan provides for the development of recreation space north and west of the rear parking lot of the recreation centre.
The YMCA Playground project is pegged for September 2021.
